VILLAGE OF MORRISVILLE WATER AND LIGHT DEPARTMENT

May 21, 2007

MONDAY 6:30 PM

Water and Light Office

The meeting duly noticed and warned was called to order at 6:00 PM.

MEMBERS PRESENT: Chair: Bourne

Trustees: Wildes, Sargent, DeBor, Thompson

Staff: Craig Myotte, Jim Fontaine, Linda Osgood

GUESTS PRESENT: David Ring, James Colletti

1) PUBLIC MEETING

Mr. David Ring was in attendance at the meeting to discuss the Gristmill and Creamery buildings. Chair Bourne informed him there was no consensus from the questionnaire giving a real direction. The Board feels that the buildings are not costing us anything and are currently causing no problems so maybe something will come up in the future. Mr. Ring asked for a walk-through of the buildings, which he will coordinate with Jim.

Mr. James Colletti, owner of Mountain View Snackbar, asked of the Board was interested in selling all, or a portion of, 80+/-Bugbee Springs parcel. The Trustees informed Mr. Colletti that they were interested and suggested that he mark up a map of the parcel showing the land he is interested in. Jim stated he will get a map for him. Trustee Thompson asked if there was a list of assets owned by the Village. Craig replied that he would get him one.

2) OLD BUSINESS

Response to Issues raised in letter from ANR – We have not yet received a response from the State as they are still reviewing MW&L’s document. The Chair Bourne asked if he had a timeframe for receiving a response. Jim thought a couple of weeks. The Chair Bourne asked Jim to keep calling them. Jim stated that he will contact them via e-mail or written mail instead of just calling them.

Copley Golf Course – The Amy Wade Fund fund-raiser was postponed a few weeks due to inclement weather. Jim stated that the water meter for the Country Club stopped functioning some time last summer. It was replaced today. The Chair Bourne asked why our computers did not catch the zero readings and Jim replied that he would have to ask the billing department.

3) MANAGEMENT REPORT

Jim has received the preliminary figures for the planned work at Plant #2 (new head gates). As the numbers are much higher than anticipated, he wants to get another bid on the engineering and permitting part. Trustee Wildes asked what was the difference in bid costs for the head gates. Jim replied approximately $50,000, which included $19,000 for permitting. Building new trash racks came in at $200,000.

There was a break in the main sewer line from Jersey Heights approximately 15’ deep. The pipe was sheared clean off so they were able to use a mechanical sleeve for repairs.

Chairman Bourne pointed out a leaning pole on the Stowe transmission line near Ricketson’s Farm. Jim replied that they were aware of it and had plans to replace it.

Craig informed the Trustees that the Community Program Specialist (Ms. Naomi Hatch) RDA recommended a higher contribution than the anticipated 45%. Trustee Sargent asked if there was any time frame. Craig replied that all we can do is call every week until we get an answer.

Staff completed the Bond Bank application and responded to all questions thereof.

Craig provided a table of residential customer charges for the 14 municipals. Trustee Wildes noted that our customer charge was still pretty inexpensive compared to others. Trustee DeBor asked why the chart only showed municipal utilities. Craig stated that this is what VPPSA had readily available but that he would get this information for the cooperatives and investor-owned utilities and provide it at the next meeting.

Craig reported that he had received a call from Mr. Larry Lackey asking about the status of Burlington Telecom expanding into this area. In addition he received a packet of information from Hometown Connections on broadband services.

The Board asked what Forcier, Aldrich & Associates’ response was to the RFP that was sent out. Craig replied that they took it in stride that we need competitive bidding on engineering services.

Craig informed the Trustees that MW&L will incur some costs in 2007 to remove our equipment from the Stowe Village substation. MW&L did not budget funds for removing this equipment in 2007.

Trustee Sargent asked for an update on the Stowe transmission line easement situation. Craig stated that there had not been much progress yet. The Supreme Court hearing has been pushed back until June. At this time, we need to start contacting some of the largest landowners with some kind of offer. He would like to get at least ½ of the owners in agreement before the court decision.

Craig mentioned that Amy Noyes had written a nice piece about the Amy Wade Fund fundraiser in the News & Citizen and that MW&L submitted water samples for a State Drinking Water Quality contest.

4) APPROVE MINUTES OF MEETING HELD MAY 7, 2007.

Craig had two changes. In Section #4, it should read that Chairman Bourne abstained from voting. In Section #11, third paragraph, the paragraph reads a little vague and should state that the Trustee support taking over the operation and maintenance responsibilities for the private owned sewer lines to be transferred to MW&L.

Trustee DeBor made a motion to approve the minutes of May 2, 2007, minutes as amended, seconded by Trustee Wildes, and unanimously approved by all present.

5) APPROVE PROJECTS FOR 2007 AMY WADE FUNDING:

There is currently $2,700 available from this fund. There may be more after the fund-raising golf tournament. The Board has received three requests totaling $6,000. Trustee Wildes moved that the Board prioritize the projects, with PVCA as top, MACC second, and Town third, and spreading the initial $2,700 over the first two projects with any additional proceeds from the fund-raiser going to project #3 (PVCA $2,000, MACC, $700). Trustee Sargent seconded the motion and the Board unanimously approved. Trustee Wildes directed Craig to prepare a letter to the Town.

6) DISCUSS PRIVATE OWNED SEWER LINES

This discussion was postponed until Executive Session.

7) REVIEW REVISED PROPOSAL FROM OSWEGATCHIE:

Charlie was slow in getting the data to MW&L and it seemed way off-base when received. However some of the information caught Craig’s eye that he will have VPPSA review. The concept is to get a 20-year time period to stabilize power costs but we do not have our hands around the whole proposal yet. Chairman Bourne asked Craig to get some references and financial statements from Oswegatchie in order to prove their credibility.

8) Other Business

Craig provided the Board with a table of the salaries paid at VPPSA as they requested. Trustee DeBor found it instructive that VPPSA’s salaries were higher that the salaries of the municipal utilities that fund VPPSA.

The NEPPA Annual Conference is scheduled for August 19 – 22. Craig is planning on attending and Trustee Wildes attended the 2006 conference with Craig. Trustee Wildes stated that he found the conferences very educational and plans to attend this year. Chairman Bourne asked that anyone else wishing to attend should contact Craig.

Craig showed the Board a map showing zoning districts, water mains, and sewer mains. He wants to get another map showing the zoning districts and sewer mains with spot elevations. Trustee Wildes replied that such a map would be helpful in encouraging a direction that Economic Development should go and that the Sewer plant needed customers to hook up. Trustee DeBor asked if utility poles could be overlaid on such a map and Jim replied that they could.

On the subject of Property Management, Chairman Bourne pointed out that the Board had been given permission to sell any excess property with the exception of the 18 acres behind the former Union Carbide. However, he felt that LEDC should look at all of our properties to see if any of them can be used commercially. The Trustees directed Craig to make contact with LEDC to initiate discussion of our properties.

Jim informed the Board that our crews would be digging on Main Street tomorrow in front of the Green Dragon repairing a water leak.

9) At 7:24 PM, on a motion by Trustee Sargent, seconded by Trustee DeBor and unanimously approved, the Board went into Executive Session. At 7:59 pm the Board came out of executive session.

10) ADJOURNMENT:

At 8:00 PM, on a motion by Trustee Sargent, seconded by Trustee Wildes and unanimously approved, the Board adjourned the meeting.

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Tim Sargent, Clerk